In the garden, Yahweh’s creatures followed in Satan’s footsteps, and rebelled against Him; they violated the law, and had to be punished. Yah’s righteousness demanded that He carry out the punishment, and the punishment was eternal death. Yahweh faced a “dilemma”. Yahweh is merciful, and so He wanted to pardon man, and not punish him, but He is also righteous, which meant that He had to punish man.

There was no answer to this horrible dilemma, which could be worked out exclusively in the material realm, but thankfully the Godhead had already implemented a solution before laying the foundations of the earth. The Godhead simply needed to bring that eternal solution into the material realm. So, Yeshua stepped out of eternity, into the material realm, and took the sins of man, and suffered his penalty for him. Yeshua, in whom all the fullness of the Godhead dwelt bodily, became sin, and shed His blood to pay for it! (Col 2:9; 2Cor 5:21)

Yahweh Himself, in the person of Yeshua, through the agency of the Holy Spirit, had paid the penalty for man’s sins, so now He could forgive us, and release us from condemnation, and punishment, i.e., He could now justify man, and declare him righteous. (Romans 3:24) Essentially, when Yeshua died on the tree, He was upholding the righteousness of the Godhead, so He could extend mercy to man.

The Godhead incurred the ultimate expense, as He stepped out of eternity, into time, to redeem us. Why did the Godhead do such a thing? Well, the Godhead loves us with a love that we can’t comprehend, and He demonstrated this love for us, while we were yet sinners, as He “fleshed out” His righteousness in the most horrendous way possible, so He could save us from His wrath.

Yah’s righteousness is an extremely costly, and an exceedingly precious attribute of His, and unimaginably, He offers it to us without cost. If we believe the gospel, Yah will give us the most expensive, and most precious gift in the universe, His righteousness! How insulting is it for us to reject this costly, and precious gift of righteousness, and try to add to it, or establish our own righteousness? It is supremely insulting.

Every “Christian” cult rejects Yahweh’s supreme gift, which comes by faith alone, and tries to offer Him their works in its place. They try to be right with Yahweh through their own sufferings, good works, and works of righteousness, and they have set aside His righteousness, which is what He has provided for us so that we can be right with Him. Woe unto them for they have gone the way of Cain! (Jude 1:11)

We approach Yahweh through His own righteousness, not our own righteousness, which is nothing more than filthy rags in His sight. When people reject Yahweh’s righteousness, which comes by faith alone, and offer Him their filthy rags instead, He rejects them, just as He rejected Cain. And they will suffer the same fate as Cain.

Yahweh provided His perfect righteousness for our covering, so we could approach Him in our times of need, and receive grace, without being afraid that He will reject us for being unworthy. We approach Yahweh in the worthiness of Christ Jesus, not in the filthy rags of our own worthiness, which we have supposedly earned through our good conduct, and our religious deeds, and financial offerings.

I hate to admit it, but even though I have been clothed in Yahweh’s extremely costly, and exceedingly precious righteousness, I still sometimes put on my filthy rags, and think that I can approach Him. And it always ends the same way. Like Adam, I end up running from Yahweh, when I sin, because my filthy rags do not cover my shame.

At that point, I have no choice, but to remove my filthy rags.

Am I the only one, who periodically puts on the filthy rags of religion, and has to be shocked back into reality by my own sin, and shame?

Am I the only one, who struggles in his own poverty to understand the riches of God’s grace?

I hope not.

May we all come to know the love of God that surpasses understanding, and experience the riches of God’s grace.

Broadly speaking, church people fall into three different categories. The first category is the disassociated multiple personality category. The second category is the schizophrenic category. And the third category is the fully integrated new identity category.

The people in the first category simply “play” church. These people have not surrendered their lives to Yeshua (Jesus), and agreed to die with Him, so they can be resurrected as a new creature “In Him“. Sadly, these people hold on to their lives and goals, and stubbornly refuse to yield to the calls of the Holy Spirit to surrender and die.

The people in this first category are not playing the church game to lose, no they are playing the church game to win! These people come to church to win the approval of other people in their community, and, at the same time, earn some brownie points with Yahweh (God). For them, church is all about what Yah can do for them, and not what they can do for Him. These people seek recovery, health and wealth.

When these people are around “church people“, they become a “church person“, but when they are around “worldly people“, they become a “worldly person“. They have multiple personalities.

The second category

The people in the second category have surrendered their lives to Yeshua, and agreed to die with Him, so they can be resurrected as a new creature “in Him“. These people turn away from their old lives and goals, and seek to live His life, and accomplish His goals. These people meet with other believers and serve them, and give to meet their needs. These people come to church to lose, they come to die.

Nevertheless, the people in this second category are Schizophrenic. The word, “schizophrenia” translates roughly as a splitting of the mind. Technically, however, it is not the same as having multiple personalities, it is more like not having a fully integrated mind that functions seamlessly. Schizophrenia is characterized by strong, coexisting unreconciled, inconsistent or contradictory cognitive elements. These deep cognitive conflicts, which are very troubling, can cause the mind to construct clever coping mechanisms to minimize the pain: And this is very detrimental to the person.

The coping mechanisms that the mind builds, when it is under a great deal of internally generated stress, fly under the radar of consciousness. The mind builds them, and the person is not aware of them, i.e., they are built on a subconscious level. Consequently, the symptoms that the coping mechanisms produce, which rise to the conscious level, such as, fear, confusion, anxiety, depression, (or in extreme cases), hearing voices, or seeing things, seem inexplicable.

Moreover, and perhaps more troubling, is that these deep internal cognitive schisms, and the coping mechanisms that they produce, can also create desires for people, things and activities, and lead to strong sin patterns, which are extremely hard to break free from.

Deep internal cognitive schisms

What on earth could cause such a deep internal cognitive schism, which, if left unresolved could build these destructive subconscious coping mechanisms and create all this havoc in our lives?

Well, when a person loves Yeshua with all of his or her heart, and seeks, daily, to die with Him, so that they can live a resurrected life “in Him” and accomplish His goals, here on the earth, there is nothing more troubling, painful, and perplexing than sin.

I mean, everything was great for a week or two, you were walking hand-in-hand with the Creator of the universe, through the blood of the Messiah, walking out the Word, as the Holy Spirit directed you. You sensed the reality of being one with Yahweh, seated at His right hand, in the heavenly realm, far above all powers and principalities. You were almost in a state of spiritual ecstasy, thinking that, at perhaps any moment, Yah would rapture you away as He did Enoch!

Then, it happened. Just like it had a thousand times before. A desire arose from within, and rather than capturing the thoughts that it produced, and forcing them to bow to Christ in you, you granted the thoughts entry into your mental sphere, and foolishly entertained the possibility of enjoying the “reward” that they offered, and slowly nursed it with your attention, and allowed it to overpower you!

The next thing you know, you are indulging in sin. You are enjoying the reward that you get from gossip, greed, ego, division, lust, anger, gluttony, or whatever it is that you struggle with. And just like that, you fall from heaven, and land squarely in a miry pit. In a blink of an eye, your beautiful heavenly white robe is soiled with blood and filth.

Now you have to suffer a beat-down by your conscience, and the Devil piles on and reminds you of how many times you have failed. Then, after you have been punished enough, and a few days have past, you find the courage to approach Yah, and beg for forgiveness. Then, after you successfully avoid all sin for a few days, you feel like everything is ok between you and God. Then, you slowly resume your ministry work, but you are not quite as bold as you need to be. Then, after a few weeks you are flying with the Holy angels again!

This is an exhaustive cycle to be stuck in, and every time you go through it, you lose a little zeal for life and the ministry. And, in this cycle, you run the risk of developing depression, anxiety and other side effects that steal your joy, and bring death into your life.

It doesn’t take but a moment to go from flying with the Holy angels of God, to wallowing in the miry pit with the rest of the human pigs. And if you do not have the cognitive tools to reconcile these two different realities that we fluctuate between, you will find yourself in the second category with the rest of the schizophrenic christians.

Take it from me, I have spent most of my life in this spiritual desert, and it is no where to be, it will drain you, distract you, and discourage you. But praise Yah, I have crossed over! I have left the desert, and entered into the Promise Land to find rest! And you can too!

The third category

The third category of church people are the fully integrated new identity folks. These people have crossed over from the spiritual desert into the promise land to obtain rest.

How do you cross over? Well, In Hebrews 4, the Scriptures tell us that the children of Israel did not cross over because of unbelief. They were in the church of Moses, and were baptized in the Red Sea, and Christ was with them supplying all of their needs, but they didn’t cross over because they didn’t believe what He said about them.

The Lord told these people that they could cross over and defeat the giants, but they looked at themselves, in the flesh, and said that they were grasshoppers compared to the giants. These people looked at, who they were in the flesh, and let that outweigh, who God said they were “in Him” (that is, who they were through His empowerment).

In 1st Corinthians 10, the Lord tells us that these events were recorded in the Scriptures so that we could learn from them.

The lesson to learn

Here is the lesson that we need to learn from the Scriptures. When we sin, we can see ourselves in the flesh, and see a disgusting human pig wallowing in the mire of life, or we can see ourselves through Yahweh’s eyes, and see someone, who is holy and righteous.

Here is the deal. As long as we are in the flesh, we will sin.

Nevertheless, Yah says that He is not counting our sins against us. (Romans 4:8) Yah says that where our sins abound, His grace does super abound!(Romans 5:20) Yah says that Yeshua became sin so we could become the righteousness of God “In Him“. (2 Corinthians 5:21) Yah says that when we believe, He seals us with His Spirit and takes eternal possession of us! (Ephesians 1:13-14) Yah says that Yeshua obtained eternal redemption for us! (Hebrews 9:12)

Yahweh says that He loved us when we were yet sinners, and He sent Yeshua to die for us. (Romans 5:8) Yahweh also says that if an ungodly person will believe on Him, He will count their belief as righteousness. (Romans 4:5) How much more does Yahweh love us now that we are His children, and not ungodly sinners?

We must believe the Scriptures in order to reconcile our two conflicting realities, and enter the promise land to obtain rest.

According to the Scriptures, our legal status doesn’t change when we sin. Sin doesn’t change our relationship to Yahweh. Yahweh sees us through the mercy seat, and the mercy seat is covered in the blood of Yeshua. Yeshua’s blood takes away all of our sins, continually. Yeshua is praying for us, continually.

When Yahweh looks at you, He sees someone, who is righteous and holy. And that will never change, no matter how much you sin.

My friend, Yeshua’s blood is far greater than your sin!

So, when you sin, confess your sin to get it off your conscience, and understand that God still sees you as righteous and holy. And do not allow your conscience, or the Devil to beat you up.

What then? Shall we continue in sin, so that grace will abound in order to swallow up our sin? God forbid! Sin has earthly consequences that are very unpleasant, and very destructive.

This is a hard lesson to learn, and accept. It seems counterintuitive, but adopting this attitude towards yourself and sin, actually frees you from sin by opening a channel for grace to flow into your life.

As always, it is your choice: You can believe the Scriptures, and enter the promise land to obtain rest, or you can stumble around in the desert for the rest of your life with the schizophrenic christians.

What? Will a man rob God? Well, yes, he certainly will! Well, just who are these men, who rob God? And how does this robbery occur?

All aboard! And be sure to buckle up, because it is going to be a bumpy ride! In this post, we will touch the deadly “third rail” of religion. I am referring to the electrically charged financial rail that most religious machines ride upon. This deadly sacred cow of rails that I speak of is, of course, ” tithing“. Feel the electricity yet?

Let me warn you: This ride is a little longer than normal, but it is well worth your time. And as we move down the tracks, I will probably offend a few people, and loose some friends, but if that is the price for standing up for truth, I will gladly pay it. The next stop is freedom from religious control, so lets start our engines, and head out!

If you have read the introduction on the home page of my website, you know that religion was one of the main reasons that I turned to drugs for comfort. Religion told me that I had to perform the right tasks , in just the right way, so that God would accept, and bless me. And my long series of lackluster performances left me in torment.

As a child, I had no option, other than to endure the inner turmoil. The guilt, shame, rejection, self-hate, and isolation that I endured overwhelmed me, and there was nowhere I could run to for relief. Religion had tricked me into believing that the only One, Who could take away the pain, would not, because He was the One causing it!

I felt like a rat on a sinking ship. There was no way out. I scurried around in the sinking ship from one emotional deck, to another, in a vain attempt to escape the inevitable. Dreams of Hell tormented me at night, and robbed me of the rest that I so desperately needed. And, sadly, this spiritual dis-ease, produced disease in my body.

In my teen years, I discovered sex, drugs, and rock and roll. These servants served me well, and took away the pain, and gave me rest. That is, until my servants became my masters, and enslaved me.

So, as you can see, religion almost killed me. Since then, I have recovered from drug addiction, and religious control. And I want to help others get free also. Who the Son sets free, is free indeed.

Beliefs

We tend to underestimate Beliefs. Make no mistake, however. Our beliefs have consequences, in the material realm, and in our lives.

Our physical reality is a matrix of excited energy fields, which have collapsed into “particles” in various configurations. Information governs these patterns of collapse, and holds everything together. The informational matrix that, in the end, is everything, and holds everything together, is God’s thoughts, manifested in His Words. (Genesis 1:1-3; John 1:1; Colossians 1:16-17; Hebrews 11:3)

That which is above the physical realm, and, is its source, is the spirit realm. We are citizens of the spirit realm, who live in physical bodies. We can’t explore the spirit realm with our physical senses, because it is not a physical realm. We can, however, explore the spirit realm by embracing different beliefs. This is dangerous, but easily done, because nonmaterial beliefs connect us to the nonmaterial realm.

We manifest our nonmaterial beliefs, in our material brains. Then, these materialized beliefs direct our lives, here on the earth. Hence, belief is the gateway between the spirit realm, and the physical realm. Friends, don’t be deceived: Belief will either cut you off from God and His blessings, or bring God and His blessings into your life.

In my early years, religion tricked me into believing that God had rejected, and cursed me. And it was this demonically inspired false belief that cut me off from the grace of God, and His blessings. God’s grace and blessings were available, but I could not experience them.

Religion had me performing like a circus animal, and, in the end, it “rewarded” me with disease, addiction, and lack. Words cannot express how much man’s religion angers me. And, it angers God too!

Religious Profiteers

As far as I can tell, there are only two instances, in the New Testament, where it says that Jesus was angry. The first is recorded in Mark 3:5, where Jesus was angry with the religious rulers for allowing their religion to blind them to, Who was standing right in front of them performing miracles. The second is in Matthew 21, Mark 11, Luke 19, and John 2. The gospels record a time when Jesus entered the Temple complex, and drove the religious profiteers out.

Jesus was Yahweh manifested in human flesh, and this was the source of His authority. Contrary to what some people teach, Jesus was not a classically trained rabbi, who had been given authority by men. No, if this would have been the case, then the religious rulers would not have been amazed by the wisdom that this uneducated man possessed, nor would they have had to ask Him by what authority He had done these things. (John 7:15; Matthew 21:23)

Yahweh required every male to travel to the Temple, during the three pilgrim feasts. (Deuteronomy 16:16) These males had to offer sacrifices to Yahweh. It was problematic, however, to bring animals on a long, and difficult journey. And besides that, the pilgrims never knew if the priests would accept their animals or not, so the religious leaders authorized the selling of animals, in the Temple’s outer court. The sacrifice-sellers charged worshipers exorbitant prices for “priest approved” animals, and gave the religious rulers a piece of the action.

The prices that the sacrifice-sellers charged in the outer court were ridiculous. Jewish history testifies of a famous rabbi, who once successfully negotiated a 99% discount for an animal sacrifice!

Male worshippers of Yahweh were also required to pay a yearly Temple tax, which helped run and maintain the Temple, build Israel’s roads and aqueducts, and take care of Israel’s poor, disabled, widows and orphans. (Exodus 30:13) Israel was supposed to be a theocracy, and the Temple was supposed to be the seat of the government.

Yahweh specified that the Temple tax was to be a half shekel. So, in order to keep the letter of the law, the religious rulers set up money-changers in the outer court of the Temple, who exchanged foreign currencies for shekels. Sadly, the religious rulers exploited Yahweh’s Word, and made a profit from this exchange. Some scholars say that they made as much as 12% on each of the 2.5 million transactions!

As I stated before, Jesus was Yahweh in human flesh. So, Jesus had no problem with the economic system, which helped worshippers fulfill His law. What disturbed Jesus was the religious rulers, who exploited His Word, in order to make a profit, at the expense of the poor. The religious rulers were actually stealing from the poor! This is why Jesus said that these despicable religious profiteers had turned His Father’s house of prayer, into a den of thieves!

Once again, the religious rulers were keeping the letter of the law, while violating it’s intent (the spirit of the law). And since these despicable activities occurred in the court of the gentiles, or the court of the nations, everyone saw them, and Yahweh’s name was blasphemed by the unbelievers, who visited Israel. (Romans 2:24)

The Tithe

Now that we have seen what fallen human beings tend to do whenever they have an opportunity to profit from the spiritual lives of others, we can better understand why the tithe was never given as money. The tithe was never about money, it was about food.

The priests did not possess, or inherit land in Israel. Consequently, the priests could not grow crops, or raise animals. To ensure that the priests did not starve to death, Yahweh instituted the tithes.

The first tithe was 10% of a land owner’s crops, and animals, which was to be given to the Temple storehouse. The second tithe was to be taken to the Temple, and eaten by the tither, before the Lord, to celebrate His goodness. This tithe was to be shared with the Levites (the Temple workers), the poor, the disabled, the widows and the orphans. (The land owner could sell his goods, and make the journey to Jerusalem with money, but when he got to Jerusalem he had to buy whatever he wanted to eat or drink, and share it with everyone.) The third tithe was to be given every 3 years. On the 3rd year, the land owner would take 10% of his crops, and animals and throw a “big party” for the Levites, the poor, the disabled, the widows, and the orphans, who lived near him. (Deuteronomy 14:22-29)

Remember this: In its purest form, Israel was a theocracy, and the Temple was the seat of the government. The religious rulers were government officials, who collected taxes. These taxes (the Temple tax) was used to build, and maintain Israel’s infrastructure. Tithes were about food, not money. The tithes were not intended to enrich the religious rulers, the tithes were intended to feed the religious rulers, the poor, the disabled, the widows, and the orphans.

The Ekklesia

The Ekklesia, which is more commonly called the Church, is a universal Spiritual body. I describe it this way, because the Holy Spirit is in us, here on the earth, and the Holy Spirit, is in Jesus, in heaven. The Holy Spirit unites us with Jesus, and hence, we are, “In Christ“. Jesus is our King, and He has established His Kingdom in our hearts. And where two or more of us are gathered together, in His name, Jesus is in the midst, and His Kingdom begins to operate.

Our bodies are now the Temple of God, and the government of God operates in our hearts, through our Great High priest, and King. As Spirit filled believers, we no longer need an earthly Temple, human priests, or animal sacrifices. And thankfully, we no longer have to travel to Jerusalem three times a year, and buy expensive animals, pay a Temple tax, or three tithes! It is finished! We have a perfect union with Yahweh, through the precious blood of the Lamb of God!

The Visible Ekklesia

The invisible, universal, Spiritual body of Messiah manifests, where two or more believers are gathered together, in His Name, and, at that place, His Kingdom will operate, in order to bring direction, correction, edification, peace, and healing to all in attendance.

There are small pockets of the Messiah’s Kingdom all over the world. In these small assemblies, there are not two classes of people. There is not an elite class of religious rulers, who have authority over the common worshipers. No sir, we are all brothers and sisters with different assignments, and different functions within Messiah’s Spiritual body. No one has the authority to lord over an assembly. The leaders of an assembly must be its humble servants. (Matthew 23:8; Mark 10:42-45; 1 Corinthians 12:12-18; 1 Peter 5:3)

Paul appointed a group of elders to oversee each assembly. These elders were to guard the flock (the assembly members), from false doctrine, and teach the Scriptures, so that they would grow up, and go out and do the work of the ministry. Paul said that each assembly should help support their elders, so that they could focus on serving the assembly. (Ephesians 4:12; 1 Corinthians 9:11; 1 Timothy 5:17)

So, here’s the question: How did the assemblies help support their elders, the poor, the widows, the orphans, and fellow believers in other assemblies? Did the members of each assembly pay a tax, or a tithe? No record of any such tax, or tithe is recorded in the New Testament. No, the only offerings that were given to the elders, the poor, the widows, the orphans, or struggling assemblies were free will offerings. (1 Corinthians 16: 1-9; 2 Corinthians chapters 8 & 9)

The Scriptures

It doesn’t matter what I think about the tithe. It doesn’t matter what your pastor thinks about the tithe. The only thing that really matters is what the Scriptures say about the tithe. And, strangely enough, the tithing system is only mentioned in the New Testament twice.

First, the tithe is mentioned in Matthew 23:23, and Luke 11:42. In these verses, Jesus tells the religious leaders that they should tithe their herbs, and not neglect the more important things of the law. Well, of course, Jesus Christ would tell these men to tithe, because they were under the law for righteousness. If Jesus would have told them anything else, He would be telling them to break the law (to sin), and He would become a law-breaker (a sinner)Himself!

Secondly, the tithe is mentioned in Hebrews chapter 7. In the ancient eastern world, to pay a tithe was to submit to someone greater than yourself. People would pay tithes of things to kings, to get on their good side, and receive favor from them. The writer of Hebrews, is addressing Hebrews, who are familiar with tithing. The Jews revere Abraham, and hold him in very high spiritual regard. The writer of Hebrews is emphasizing the greatness of Melchisedec’s priesthood. This priesthood is so great that even Abraham, and the Levitical priests, who were in his loins, paid tithes to it! Without any doubt, the Melchisedec priesthood is superior to the Levitical priesthood. And Jesus is the High priest of the Melchisedec priesthood! This lets the Hebrews know exactly how great Jesus is.

Some preachers say that tithing is a general principle, or “a spiritual law“, which is why people tithed in the Old Testament, and so should we. The writer of Hebrews, however, says in verse 5, that the Levites were commanded to take tithes from the people according to the law. (Tithing is not a general principle, or a spiritual law, it is a Mosaic ordinance to those, who were under the law for righteousness.)

And in verse 12, the writer of Hebrews says that since the priesthood has changed, the law has also been changed.

Paul

God sent Peter to instruct the Jews. The Jews knew all about tithing, but yet the Apostle to the Jews never mentioned tithing one time. This is very telling. God sent Paul to instruct the gentiles, that is, the people of the nations. The gentiles did not know a single thing about tithing. And the Apostle Paul never mentioned it one time! The Apostle Paul’s silence on the issue of tithing is truely deafening.

If our ability to be blessed rested on, whether or not we tithed, and if our assemblies were to be funded with mandatory tithes, don’t you think that Paul would have explained the tithing requirements to us?

Paul told us to follow him, as he followed Jesus. Jesus Christ didn’t pay tithes, because He wasn’t a farmer, He was a carpenter. Paul, being a Pharisee, didn’t pay tithes (unless he paid them on the herbs he grew in his window sill). More importantly, Jesus and Paul did not collect tithes to support their ministries. Both of their ministries were supported by free will offerings. Both of them were outside of the Temple tithe system, because they were not Levites. Only Levites could receive tithes. (Mark 6:3; Luke 8:1-3; Philippians 4:15)

If the Son of God, and the greatest Apostle in the New Testament, did not collect “monetary tithes” (because there was no such thing), to support their ministries, then what in the world makes preachers today, think that they can compel people to give them “monetary tithes”? Once again,tithes were not about money, they were about food for the priests, disabled, poor, widows, and the orphans.

There is absolutely no Scriptural basis whatsoever for requiring New Testament believers to tithe 10% of there monetary gains to their elders, in order to be blessed by God. None. Zip. Zero. Notta.

Twisting Profiteers

The fact that tithing is not possible today, and that it is not meant for New Testament believers, because God has changed the priesthood, and changed the laws that govern it, has not stopped those, who wish to profit from the spiritual lives of others. Today, Doctors of theology skillfully twist the Scriptures, and threaten God’s people with curses, if they do not give them 10% of their gross income. This behavior sickens me, and, more importantly, it sickens God.

This is no different from what the money-changers, and sacrifice-sellers did in the Temple’s outer court. These preachers are taking money from the saints, by force. These preachers are thieves, and robbers. And this spiritual thievery hits the poor the hardest.

I know a lady, who can’t buy a much-needed new car, because, her pastor has told her that she has to tithe, or be cursed by God. Another couple that I know had to choose between buying diapers, and baby food, or angering God, and falling under His curse!

Not long ago, a dear woman that I love very much came over to my house in tears. She told me that her pastor said that God had cursed her for not tithing. She said that she could not afford to tithe, and pay her rent, and she had no hope of ever prospering!

This dear lady really believed that God had cursed her. And since belief is the gateway to the spirit realm, that was her reality!

And all these despicable actions are taking place before the eyes of the world, and for this cause many unbelievers blaspheme God’s name. I know this to be true, because I have relatives, who want nothing to do with God, because they see “His leaders” swindling money from people. It is really a sad, and sickening situation.

Shutting up the Kingdom

Today’s thieving preachers are doing the same thing that the Jewish religious leaders in Galatia were doing. They were shutting up the Kingdom of God unto believers, and perverting the Gospel, counting the blood of Messiah as a worthless thing. “For if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” (Galatians 2:21)

These preachers proclaim Malachi 3:7-11, at the top of their lungs. Pronouncing a curse of God on the non-tithers. Now, obviously, if you are under God’s curse, you are not right with Him. That is to say, you are not righteous in His eyes. What a perversion of the truth!

The Gospel, the good news is that Christ fulfilled the law and earned His righteousness, along with all the blessings of God, and then He freely gave us His righteousness, and all the blessings that He earned. There is no way that a believer can be cursed by God.

Little do these thieving preachers know that when they proclaim Malachi 3:7-11, they are actually testifying against themselves.

Will a man rob God?

Malachi 3:7-11, asks if a man will rob God. How could a man rob God? We can’t hold a gun on God, and take His stuff. We, however, can rob God by not supporting the people He tells us to support. The tithes were to help feed God’s people, who could not provide for themselves. The priests couldn’t provide for themselves, they didn’t own land, and then there were the poor, the disabled, the widows, and the orphans. Robbing God, is, in fact, robbing God’s people.

So, will a man rob God? Definitely, it is done routinely, every Sunday, when men put on fancy suits, and rob God, as they rob His people!

New Testament Giving

Let me be clear: God expects us to give, whatever we are able to give. (2 Corinthians 8:2) And it takes money to run an assembly. We should do our fair share to run our assembly, and help the less fortunate. If you give 10% of your gross income, or more, because you want to, then God bless you! There will be a lot of fruit in your account, so rejoice, and be glad that God has given you so much!

In the New Testament dispensation, God will prompt you to give money to support the elders of your assembly. God will also prompt you to help the poor, the disabled, the widows,the orphans, and all the saints, who are in need. If you fail to obey God’s promptings, you will sin, and you will rob Him, and you will miss an opportunity to sow a good seed, which may have brought you a great harvest. Nevertheless, God is no longer counting your sins against you, so, one thing is for sure, God is not going to curse you for failing Him!

Wow! This would really put the ekklesia to the test. It would prove, which leaders are true shepherds (God-appointed), and, which are hirelings (self-appointed). It would really take faith to believe God would prompt the flock to support the elders, and keep the doors open every month. I guess that’s why they pull the tithing scam.

New Testament giving is summed up in 2 Corinthians 9:7, when Paul says, “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”

Isn’t it telling that Paul was collecting an offering for the saints in Jerusalem, who were starving, and suffering great need? Think about it, if the saints in Jerusalem were starving, shouldn’t the Temple tithes have been used to feed them? They weren’t, because Messiah’s followers were outside of the tithe system, and did not benefit from it. So, Paul had to collect a free-will offering for them.

It is abundantly clear that the Old Testament Temple tithing system is not for us. So, make no mistake, each Sunday morning, God is being robbed, and it is the man in the fancy suit, who is robbing God!